Container holder



June 19, 1962 L. M. PROFFIT 3,039,616

CONTAINER HOLDER Filed June 27, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.

Les/er MI Pmff/i I N VEN TOR.

Attorneys June 19, 1962 1.. M. PROFFIT CONTAINER HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1960 Lester M. Proffi/ IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,039,616 CUNTAINER HOLDER Lester M. Proiiit, 3444 ()linda Lane, Anaheim, Calif. Filed June 27, 1960, Ser. No. 38,828 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-71) This invention reltaes to new and useful improvements in container holders, and the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described which, as an attachment, may be conveniently used in automobiles, boats, et cetera, for supporting bottles, cups, cans and other containers in an upright position so that the contents thereof are safeguarded against spilling.

As such, the holder in accordance with the invention comprises a tray equipped at one edge thereof with a downwardly projecting flange which may be inserted in the window structure of an automobile or engaged with a special bracket aflixed to a suitable support such as for example, the instrument panel of a boat, so as to maintain the tray in a horizontal position, the tray being provided with recesses to receive and hold in an upright position a variety of containers.

Another important feature of the invention resides in a particular structural arrangement of one of the container receiving recesses in the tray, the same being in the form of a notch adapted to receive the neck portion of a bottle with a snap-in action so that the bottle, when inserted in the holder, cannot become accidentally or unintentionally displaced.

Another important feature of the invention resides in a particular arrangement of another of the container receiving recesses in the tray, the same being in the form of a circular opening to fit a container such as a paper cup with a downwardly tapered side wall, a plurality of annular inserts also being provided, these inserts being of different diameters and one of them being removably receivable in the opening in the tray while the others may be nested thereon as desired, so that by using the tray opening alone, or in conjunction with one or more of the inserts, containers of various diameters may be accommodated.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of a U-shaped carrier for use in conjunction with the aforementioned opening in the tray to support containers with straight side walls, as for example, cans.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, eflicient and dependable operation, and in its adaptability to convenient and economical manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become apparent subsequently, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention in use, a bottle being supported in the holder;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view thereof, supporting a bottle and a glass;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing the holder supporting a can;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the holder per se;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing one of the inserts removed from the holder and used to carry a container;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary underside plan view of the holder;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 7-7 in FIGURE 2;

3,039,615 Patented June 19, 1962 FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line 8-8 in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a bracket such as may be used in connection with the holder.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the container holder in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the numeral 12 and embodies in its construction a horizontal tray 14 which may be formed from any suitable material such as plastic, or the like, and may be substantially rectangular in form as shown. A downwardly extending flange 16 is formed integrally at one edge which may be regarded as the rear edge of the tray, the flange 16 being disposed at slightly more than to the tray and being provided with a curved lower portion 18, as is best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

When the device is to be used in an automobile, for example, as shown in FIGURES 1-3, 7 and 8, the flange 16 is inserted downwardly between a window glass 20 and the adjacent inside panel 22 of the vehicle body so that the tray 14 rests on the window moulding or trim 24 and is thus supported in a horizontal position. The

' aforementioned angular relationship of the flange 16 to the tray 14 and the provision of the curved flange portion 18 facilitate insertion and removal of the flange in and from the window structure and it may be also noted that the window glass may be raised and lowered even when the holder is in position.

FIGURE 9 illustrates a somewhat modified arrangement wherein the flange 16 of the holder is supportably engaged with a mounting bracket 26 having a pair of oifset ears 28 secured by suitable screws 30 to a suitable support 32, as for example, the instrument panel of a boat, this being an alternative arrangement to that shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 wherein the holder is applied as an attachment to an automobile window structure.

In any event, referring again to the tray 14, it will be noted that the same is provided with a circular opening 34 having a pair of notches 35 at diametrically opposite sides thereof, and is also provided with a substantially U-shaped notch 38 in the front edge of the tray. For purposes of reinforcement, the front and side edges of the tray are formed at the underside thereof with a continuuos bead 40 which, as is best shown in FIGURE 6, also extends around the edge of the notch 38, and the edge-s of the opening 34 between the notches 36 are provided with similar bead portions 42.

The notch 38 is adapted to receive therein the neck of a bottle 44, it being noted that the notch 38 has an inwardly convergent entrance portion 46, a restricted intermediate portion 48 and an enlarged inner portion 50. The width of the restricted portion 48 is slightly less than the diameter of the bottle neck and the material of the tray 14 possesses a certain amount of flexibiltiy and inherent resiliency, so that when the neck of the bottle is inserted laterally or inwardly in the entrance portion 46 and comes in engagement with the restricted portion 48, it causes the latter to spread apart by frictional engagement with the bottle, until the bottle neck passes with a snap action through the portion 48 into the enlarged inner portion 50. Thereupon the restricted portion 48 returns to its normal width and prevents the bottle from being accidentally withdrawn from the notch 38. However, it is to be noted that the notch 38 is located adjacent one of the side edges of the tray so that a portion of the tray at one side of. the notch forms a tongue or a finger-piece 52, which may be pressed laterally outwardly as shown in FIGURE 1 so as to cause spreading or widening of the notch portion 48 and facilitate withdrawal of the bottle from the notch.

As shown in FTGURE 3, the opening 34 in the tray 14 may be used to receive a container with straight sides such as a can 54, in which event a substantially U-shaped carrier 56 is used in conjunction with the holder for supporting such a container. The carrier 56 is formed from resiliently yieldab 'le material and includes a pair of side pieces 58 which may be moved toward and away from each other. The lower ends of the side pieces are connected by a b ight portion 60 which supportably engages the bottom of the container 54, while the upper ends of the side pieces are provided with outturned lugs or cars 62. The carrier 56 is applied to the tray 14 by inserting upper end portions of the side pieces 58 in the notches 36 of the opening 34 so that the cars 62 rest on the upper surface of the tra, as will be clearly apparent. When it is desired to remove the carrier 56 from the tray, the ears 62; are pressed toward each other somewhat to disengage the side pieces 58 from the notches 36, whereupon the carrier as a whole may be withdrawn upwardly from the opening 34.

Containers with a downwardly tapered side wall such as paper cups or glasses 64 may be supported directly in the opening 34 by simply inserting the container into the opening so that the edge of the opening engages the tapered wall of the container. However, such containers may be of various diameters and accordingly, the invention also provides a plurality of annular inserts 66, 68, 70. These are L-shaped in cross-section with their inside and outside diameters coordinated so that the in sert 66 may be placed in the opening 34, the insert 68 nested in the insert 66 and the insert 70 nested in the insent 68. The inserts are usable selectively, so that by 'using the opening 34 alone, or in conjunction with one or more of the inserts, containers of various diameters may be accommodated. Each insert is provided with a laterally projecting handle 72 having an aperture 74 therein and an upstanding pin 76 is provided on the tray 14 adjacent the opening 34. The pin 76 is received in the apertures 74 of the handles 72 of the several inserts so as to locate the inserts on the tray, either in the operative position shown in FIGURES 1 and 4 wherein all the inserts are concentric with the opening 34, or in an out-of-the-way position shown in FIGURES 3, 6 and 8 wherein the inserts are on top of the tray out of register with the opening 34 or overhang the tray, or with some of the inserts in the opening 34 and others out of the way as shown in FIGURE 2.

The inserts may be removed from the pin 76 and used individually as shown in FIGURE for manually handling containers, particularly with hot contents, as will be readily apparent.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation as shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a holder for containers having a downwardly tapered side wall, the combination of a tray provided with a substantially circular opening, an annular insert removably positioned in said opening, a second annular insert removably positioned in the first mentioned insert, said opening and said inserts being of different diameters and selectively receiving therein different diameters of containers, a laterally projecting handle provided on each of said inserts, said handles being formed with registering apertures, and an upstanding pin provided on said tray, said registering apertures receiving said pin whereby to locate the inserts on the tray.

2. In a holder for containers having a downwardly tapered side wall, the combination of a flat tray provided adjacent one edge thereof with a circular opening, an annular insert removably positioned in said opening, said insert being of an inverted L-shaped cross section and including an annular wall portion received in said opening and an outturned annular flange at the upper edge of said wall portion in supporting engagement with the upper surface of said tray at the edge of said opening, a plurality of additional inserts removably nested in one another and in the first mentioned insert, additional inserts being of the same structure as but of progressively smaller diameters than the first insert and each having its annular wall portion received in the wall portion of the next underlying insert and its annular flange resting on the annular flange of the underlying insert, an elongated handle extending radially outwardly from the annular flange of each insert, the outer ends of said handles being provided with registering apertures, and an upstanding pin provided on said tray adjacent said opening and said one edge of the tray, said handles being pivotally mounted on said pin by reception of the pin in said registering apertures, whereby the inserts may be selectively swung from an operative position in the tray opening to an inoperative position beyond said one edge of the tray, the handle of the first mentioned insert resting on the tray in both positions of the insert.

3. In a container holder, the combination of a tray provided with an opening, an open insert removably positioned in said opening, a second open insert removably positioned in the first mentioned insert, said opening and said inserts being of different sizes for selectively receiving therein different sizes of container, said inserts having portions thereof provided with registering apertures, and an upstanding pin provided on said tray, said registering apertures receiving said pin whereby to locate the inserts on the tray.

4. In a container holder, the combination of a tray provided adjacent one edge thereof with an opening, an open insert removably positioned in said opening, said insert being of an inverted L-shaped cross section and including a marginal wall portion and an outturned flange at the upper edge of said wall portion, said wall portion being received in said opening and said flange being in supporting engagement with the upper surface of said tray at the edge of said opening, a plurality of additional inserts removably nested in one another and in the first mentioned insert, said additional inserts being of the same structure as but of progressively smaller sizes than the first insert and each having its marginal wall portion received in the wall portion of the next underlying insert and its flange resting on the flange of the underlying insert, the flanges of said inserts having portions thereof provided with registering apertures, and an upstanding pin provided on said tray adjacent said opening and said one edge of the tray, said apertured portions of said flanges being pivotally mounted on said pin by reception of the pin in the registering apertures, whereby the inserts may be selectively swung from an operative position in the tray opening to an inoperative position beyond said one edge of the tray, the apertured portion of the flange of the first mentioned insert resting on the tray in both positions of the insert.

References ited in the file of this patent Maixner May 20, 1958 

